“Research by Friedman and Rosenman discovered the link between heart disease and Type A people, who are ambitious, driven, impatient, angry and hurry sick, putting themselves under constant time pressure.

The story goes that when the time came for Friedman and Rosenman to reupholster the chairs in their waiting room, they discovered that only the front edges of the seat covers had worn away. The backs were untouched. They realised their coronary patients weren’t able to relax but were always, literally, ‘on the edge’.”